All Yours
by riddle1rave
Summary: She didn't know what was more disturbing; The truth and aspects of her new life, or that she was having misgivings about trying to refrain from becoming completely and only his. Hermione/Damon *XOVER*
1. Nightmare

**A/N:**

**Except for the plot, all credit goes to the real owners: JK Rowling, LJ Smith and the creators of the television sitcom, 'The Vampire Diaries'.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

**NIGHTMARE**

**...**

_She was running through the devastated corridors, panic and fear amplifying within her as fierce as a ferociously swinging rollercoaster, even though the buzzing of curses and spells had culminated. His hand still safely clasped in hers, they both rushed into the entrance hall and out the castle through the huge oak doors within the bustling crowd of terrified teachers, students and Order members. Breathing raggedly, she stopped beside a turret; eyes searching frantically for a glimpse of jet black hair but the view seemed void of any. Then she heard a strangled sob of a horribly familiar voice and her eyes flung to his face._

_"Ron!" she begged miserably, now holding his tear-stained face in her hands; eyes yet constantly flicking for any means of threat. It was a scene of absolute destruction: lifeless corpses being fetched inside the withered walls of Hogwarts; its confining frame now tarnished with stains of murky grime and crimson, harassed unevenly by fire._

_"It's over." He wept, shaking his head in sheer grief; having recently mourned over the deaths of Remus, Tonks and his own beloved brother._

_"Don't you say that!" she said fiercely, gently rubbing some wetness off from his face. "We're almost there! We just need to find where Harry is-" A loud explosion cut her mid-sentenced as they both looked toward the forbidden forest and noticed the silhouette of a figure as voluminous as that of a half-giant approaching through the trees. Meanwhile, she observed people slowly retreating from the castle, all of their faces gaping ahead in that direction. Unconsciously securing Ron's hand in hers, she towed him to the former trail, trying to catch a glance of what had them all mesmerized. The bushes shielding that sight cleared; the scenario acquiring absolute vision, with which ceased her stroll and so did momentarily her heartbeat. An inhuman man, with skin as white as a skull, eyes gleaming red and slits in place of nostrils; striding towards them with an unnerving grin of elation; followed by his team of death eaters, and accompanying whom was Rubeus Hagrid. The look the latter had was heart-wrenching. In his arms rested a limp body too familiar, yet for some seconds, her brain fell short from recognizing who it was. The lightening-shaped scar etched on his forehead, the thick framed glasses, the raven black ruffled hair, all that she knew too well... But it had to be someone else. It just couldn't_ be _him..._

_As they advanced closer, she could feel something inside her shredding apart bitingly and falling; her heart now in her throat. Several gasped; Ron's hands fell limply to his sides; she herself striving against her faltering balance._

_"Who's that Hagrid's carrying? Neville, who is it?" It was Ginny, trying to wrench free from her father's steady grasp._

_"Harry Potter is dead!" announced with a bellow; the snake-like man with apparent triumph, causing an abrupt stillness and quiet which was shortly broken by Ginny's screams of denial._

_"Silence!" Bellowed the Dark Lord; now nearing solitarily towards them. "Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me." He claimed sneeringly; pointing at his chest. "And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us. Or die."_

_She merely stared at his motionless, vulnerable form; glasses askew over his emerald eyes now shut; the words of the Dark Lord growing distant. The ripped fragment inside her wailed with sizzling pain as the reality struggled to settle in; her mind still dazed with trauma. _For neither can live while the other survives. _Ron _was _right, it was_ _all over._

_"-people die every day." Neville's voice boomed in her dejected mind; eyes averting to the latter's face. "Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us, in here!" he said determinedly, tapping at his heart. "And so is Fred, Remus, Tonks, all of them. They didn't die in vain. But you will," he said fiercely, looking square in the Dark Lord's scarlet eyes, who laughed bemused. "'Cause you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us, for all of us!"  
At that moment, things turned around with a severe twist. Neville yanked out the Sword of Godric Gryffindor from the sorting hat as Harry sprung back to life, dropping to the ground from Hagrid's arms and wrenched his wand out of his robes, earning cries of shock and relief from the distressed crowd of damsels and teachers; the merriment exchanged with a rare look of horror on you-know-who's face. Dodging the storm of curses, Harry shouted "The snake!" to her and Ron precedent to taking off for the castle._

_..._

_Now she stood alone within the shattered confines of the deserted corridor on the second floor; hand equipped tight with her wand; vigilance guiding her stance. Eyes still wary, she swung around at the sound of an explosion; her heart beating like a hammer. Ron was racing towards her, his hand enclosed tightly around a basilisk fang; wand in the other.  
"Run!" he roared with a horrified expression, stealing quick glances behind him. A few moments passed before his desperate command dawned upon her and she staggered her way round, marching before their paces familiarized and her trot hastened. The dark lord's snake was gliding after them with a bone-chilling agility, unabashed by the obstacled path. They ran until reaching the edge surrounded by railings, stranded with no means of escape. Cautiously they whirled around; the snake coming alarmingly closer. "_Reducto_!" she cried, pointing her wand at the ceiling which showered large pieces of cement debris over the reptile. Then they waited, wide eyed, as the corridor got enveloped in absolute silence._

_The enraged snake bolted out through the rubble, snarling. Ron raised the hand with the fang; the only means of destroying the animal horcrux. Stepping back, his foot stumbled upon a large piece of chunk, causing the fang to slip from his grip in the realm of ruins; irretrievable anymore. Time stopped. Her empty hand found his, both slowly surfacing what was left of the following space. The seething snake attacked._

_..._

Hermione gasped, awakening and abruptly sitting upright as her breath escaped in short bursts and chokes; terror within her at its peak. Fresh sweat rolled off her body as she noticed herself braced on a squishy white bed placed at the heart of an unfamiliar room dimly lit. "Ron." she whispered, still panting; events of the dream barricading her brain. Her heart was thumping in her ears and throat, the cold sweat causing her to shiver slightly. The nightmare was too vivid to be merely a dream; it could've been her living a memory, like penetrating into one's own recollections in a pensieve. Or perhaps it was something exactly like that, for there was no reason not to indulge in the event's possible credibility. Unaware of her current whereabouts, her mind still reeled with every chapter of the battle; seemingly well framed. The fear trembling within her stilled as another reality crashed: her dream and the turn of actual events were undistinguishable. The nightmare could be true…

Yet as her mind struggled through the clouding images of the dream, something constantly badgered and ultimately persuaded it to give in and she made notice of certain ludicrous variations. Her vision was translucent than beyond usual, enabling her to distinguish between every particle hovering in the air, between every fragment of the wall and furniture prior to her bed. Her skin looked too pale; as if void of any blood. And there was a burning sensation of a peculiar thirst, clinging onto her throat...  
Dread began pooling in the pit of her stomach as she found it impervious in making sense of anything that was happening: That lifelike nightmare, these sickening changes that'd started getting to her. Most significantly, where in the name of Merlin was she?

Just as Hermione was about to chance a look about the obscure bedroom, she was brashly interrupted by an unknown, deep and feathery voice. "Hello, Ms. Granger." The man had said, causing Hermione's head to whip to her right; obviously shocked by his presence which had seemed so unbelievingly quiet before he'd uttered any word. A sharp intake of breath, which was followed by a quick backward swing of her legs and instead of perching on the edge of the bed, she was steered backwards fluidly toward the wall. Though it'd seemed so slow for her she didn't have a hitch in landing gracefully. That was simply, amazing, which was putting it mildly. Now she could actually feel it; the crude, massive strength thrilling in her veins. Though the look on her face could not have had been more horrified. These changes were inhuman, to set it right, though sufficing to take her mind completely off from the recent encounter with her nightmare and whereabouts.

She looked up into the face of the man who had caused the stir, cautiously pulling out her wand. He was sitting on a couch resting beside her bed; probably the most attractive guy she'd laid eyes on. Perhaps in his mid-twenties, the man smirked cockily at her as his eyes, shining blue as the sea, beneath a sweep of thick black lashes and delicately arched brows, bored into hers. High cheekbones carved hollows above his strong, angular jaw; making him look no less than a Greek God.

She'd probably be swooning over the lopsided grin he flashed at her if the circumstances weren't so inscrutable. "Who are you?" was all Hermione asked; skepticism flaring out in three mere words as she maintained her unfaltering gaze. The apprehension possessing her entrails aggravated to an extent she didn't know it could possibly withstand. Like all her emotions and feelings had being intensely magnified. Everything was so ridiculously out of the ordinary; only except for the man's demeanor which seemed so perfectly calm, he might be having another typical day of his life. "And I need to know how I'm here?" she added with quivering voice, utterly frustrated with the scarcity of answers.

His smirk vanished as he now eyed the wand in her hand, sighing. "I shall explain everything to you, but first I may need to ask you to keep that wand of yours away; for this while at least."

Her brow furrowing, she responded firmly "I wouldn't hurt you."

"And neither do I think that you intend to. Just a mere precaution for both of our good." he marked casually.

Lightly offended by his admission, she stared at him with her mouth slightly agape, internally debating whether or not to abide by his condition. Judging by the looks of him, he wasn't a wizard; she could easily overpower him. But would there be a reason required, that remained to be determined. Plus laying her inconsequential conviction aside to seek what could explain everything eccentric going on seemed more of the essence; eventually causing her to stuff the magic stick inside her robe and ask the dark-haired beauty with poorly concealed annoyance: "Talk."

The flawless smirk returning to his handsome face, the man elegantly stood up from the couch. Shoving both hands in his pockets, he looked up to meet her unceasing gaze. "I beg for your forgiveness, but you see, Newborns are known to be the most wild and vicious of our kind."

She merely stared at him with an unchanging expression before inquiring dumbly. "Newborns?"

His smirk remained intact as he said smoothly. "I assume you'd have observed by now certain changes you've undergone?"

The dread within her deepened; her indifferent expression turning a little anxious, all on discovering the stranger was indeed aware of what she was going through. But his words still seemed preposterous; no sense of it penetrating her mind. An extended moment later; she calmly conceded. "Arrive at the point already. What is it?"

The smirk replaced by a humorless mien, he silently gazed at her before resolving with something at last which had seemed so absurd she concluded it was perhaps another one of her vivid dreams . "A vampire. That's what you are now." He'd said, earning her a loss for any words, or thoughts. She only stared at him; disturbed, feeling the man was off his rocker; yet too terrified of reading into his words.  
"There's a lot of explaining to be done, Ms. Granger, so we might as well go for a quick hunt before we get to that part, shall we?" he suggested calmly; completely oblivious to the battle of emotions raging inside her; adjusting his cuffs. She hardly blinked; her stare unceasing. Yet seeming void of any words or thought, she simply nodded.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I'll be honest here. I wrote this one down more than a year back. Also, the idea I had in mind was pretty vague. Now I do seem to have a better clue as to where this is going, all I await is your reviews! Please do tell me what you think. I'll update with a new chapter by this week itself. **


	2. Fallen Angel

**_"Well, I never pray  
_  
_But tonight I'm on my knees  
_**

**_I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me_**

**_I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now_**

**_But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now"_**

**_- The Verve_**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**FALLEN ANGEL**

**...**

Astounded by Hermione's mute approval, the man scrutinized the witch ahead of him with raised brows before finally conceding with "Well, that was fairly easy." But no longer did he possess her attention; nor his words registered, as her brain plunged onto a haphazard recollection of herself in third year…

"_...and that would be?"_

"_Vampire blood, sir"_

"_Correct, Ms. Granger." Announced Lupin as he swayed back to the teacher's desk, scribbling the answer on the board. "Vampire Blood, which has a fantastic ability of sewing back torn human innards. Would you be able to elaborate further?"_

"_Retrieved from a rare being, vampire blood acts as a boon as well as a curse. The fastest known healing stimulant, it's also a one-way path to vampire transformation. It's worked miracles when survival is beyond the bounds of possibility, but remains undistinguished from the means of preventing one's passage to vampirism; hence, the use still remains largely avoided."_

"_Excellent!" cried their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "Excellent, Ms. Granger. Fifteen points to Gryffindor!"_

"Hey!" repeated the man, shattering Hermione's spectacularly vivid recalling process and her head shot up in bewilderment, eyes locking with his one more time. "Are you OK?" he questioned in a perplexed voice, her thoughts now straying over him…

"_You see, Newborns are known to be the most wild and vicious, of our kind."_

It still seemed almost toilsome to deduce what had her consummated in this situation. She was redeemed with flashes of actual occurrences; a few of which were too similar to those of the dream. The dream; in which she could recall it was the snake that'd attacked them unarmed; disrupting her to a rude awakening, literally. Was she to consider her nightmare a true turn of events….

Ron and she _were_ attacked. And someone had tried to save her; one who would've had a close alliance with one of _them_, or who was possibly one them self. One who was possibly a vampire…

Uncharacteristically swearing under her breath, she placed a palm on her temples wrinkled with somber comprehension. Now she could actually apprehend the significance of these changes: her extraordinarily remarkable senses, the flaming dry sensation clutching to her throat; which could possibly stand for thirst…  
So many thoughts, suspicions and discoveries; Hermione felt an overwhelming desire to cry with the unusual dilemma. Her eyes closed tentatively with utter despair as she had an arousing ache to unwind her rushing brain; unable to conquer the truth it concluded, for it was to remain as such. And it was a kind she couldn't escape. _Ever_.

Despite of herself, she resolved against letting her emotions spill over the place and sprung up with an imperturbable expression, crossing arms firmly as her eyes reverted to the stranger's face. She needed answers, and as far as her whereabouts were concerned, how they came into being remained equivocal. Also, it seemed pretty apparent that this man was precisely aware of her plight; whoever he was. Time for him to spill some more beans...

"Alright," she started; voice way more calm than she felt. The genuine befuddlement lay around the notion of what required an answer; furthermore the one _he_ could afford to render. She didn't know a thing about the man; perhaps exactly what she was to seek first. "Who are you?"

His crystal blue eyes regarded the witch ahead vacuously; who just stood poised, durably about the empty space. The strings of the tenacious silence finally parted as he responded; "Damon Salvatore. The first time we meet, Ms. Granger."

"How do you know who I am?" Voice seeming to betray a whisper of skepticism as her brain restrained from his forename's cognition. The only Salvatore's she'd ever heard of, a very powerful and influential muggle family in Italy; later appearing as one of the founding families of a town in Virginia. Unable to figure how that mattered, she irritably rubbed the notions off of her brain and waited in air of absolute stillness.

"To say that I know you, perhaps a teeny overstatement. Your name is all I'm familiar with." Again a stretched silence prevailed, which Hermione adhered to. She expected a better response, which was gradually suggested by a minute shake of her head.

"Your robes, Ms. Granger. They consist of your name tag." he added with finality.

"And that explains everything, doesn't it?" This time there was an absence of lag as Hermione seemed loathsomely irked by their constrained chat, losing all her roughly contained composure. "But maybe I'd like to go ahead a bit further and ask how I ended up here?"

To her sheer bewilderment, a hint of that irresistible smirk curled the edges of his ravishing lips, excavating further annoyance onto her features. _"_I do apologize for this inconvenience, but it would have seemed highly incongruous to desert you in that wreck of a castle, all by yourself, as you sauntered through the phase of transition." He provided smoothly; positively unruffled by her conduct.

Gaze flinching upon the reminder of her state, she requited with "Sure. Why, though, bother your pretty little self to bring me all the way to this...?"

"My manor" he insisted, inducing her to raise a hand up in agreement. Her mind lingered about the ghastly possibility of him being her diabolic savior from death. (If death is what she'd deceived, indeed.) She envisaged a trickle of crimson oozing down his chin that'd seemed so lickable; head hovering over a lifeless corpse as his handsome face snarled; displaying a hint of fangs before plunging on the innocent's throat again. And again. Hermione shuddered at the iniquity and aberration of it. It was terribly hard to imagine a man so beautiful adhere to a sin as that; A demon that seemed rather quite immaculate. Like a fallen angel…

"So you're a v-vampire." she stuttered; infringing the silence right before he could clarify.

"Of course. How else do you reckon I was planning to help you?"

Her disbelieving glare quietly lingered before she huffed out an air of resignation, eyes finally descending to the ground engraved with symmetrically repeating patterns of limestone frames. To decipher anything alongside his assistance seemed rather more strenuous; or perhaps futile for the queries only escalated to no extent. And right now, all she could think of were Harry and Ron; oh how much she longed for their presence! But she wasn't even acquainted with their well being or whereabouts.

The dejection and sorrow started to creep back in, the crushing urge to lull into peace; this time proving quite tough to shove off. There was only one way to figure anything at all, which she perceived as the only means remaining. "I guess we'll need to head back to the castle." She declared nonchalantly; unknowing of what to expect; though allowing her impassive approach to disguise any traces of weakness to persuasion.

Right then, the unforeseen transpired with a mind whirling haste; all of which she discerned without a hitch, but paralysis had caught hold of her even as her brain screamed for a reflex. Her frail body was turned face to the pallid wall and the wand seized from her robes; the hold on her unyielding, it could have been easily mistaken for a body binding spell.

It ended as quickly as it'd started; the curse uplifting as his weight relinquished her body. Languidly drawing herself up to full height as the dizziness slowly departed, she turned to face Damon who now stood within a stunning range of a few yards; posture lacking his common calm pretense though his face persisted a blank look.

Scarcely any moments had ticked by when the impeccable realization reconciled her bafflement to rage and the words stormed out in a furious whisper. "Give me my wand back!"

He merely stared back as a meager frown breezed in the midst of his eyebrows. "I can't." His voice ensued in an agonizingly gentle whisper.

The wrath subsequent to his dissent was so venomous, she went off the deep end. It was an anger she hadn't suspected she could entertain. Coils of scarlet forged about her now pitch charcoal eyes; underneath which devised a fringe of scars with protruding of veins, almost seeming to rupture her fragile skin. She resented with a feeble snarl as she sprang in a mere leap but foolishly collapsed into his arms before being thrust against the bed.

"A little clumsy, but you certainly don't lack charisma." he commented as she strove and ground against his clasp with all her might, but extensively fell short. His remark grossed no heed as she dawdled on with her fruitless attempts; a fury that never managed to cease.

She was preposterous! The slight callowness of an 18 year old that she was, yet clutching an aura of wisdom, like she'd coursed through years of hardship and grief. The zeal she mustered was electric, undeniable. _Though she's so bloody stubborn. _Damon inwardly noted as the girl relentlessly endeavored to break free.

"LET. GO. OFF. ME!" she roared into his seam of thoughts; face brooding mere inches underneath his. _So feisty. Hermione Granger would sure as hell prove one tough bird._

"Certainly by the looks of _you_, I'd rather your hocus pocus piece of stick keep its distance. You'd get what I'm implying if for once you try and gather it rationally." He lastly divulged, jaw faintly tightening with exhaustion.

Her incoherent struggle was far from ceasing was it not for the deafening lucidity forced into his words. The witch then eased at stillness, the monstrous look retreating gently as her mind rancorously acknowledged the substantiality of what he just stated. Herself was she flabbergasted at her fierce backlash, she was never the one to lose temper so hastily.

As her senses retained; honey brown orbs admiring his, she noticed their faces still only confined the stretch of a few inches whence she could inhale his seawater scent with ease; An enticing scent which seemed all too familiar...

Mere seconds elapsed before Damon scrupulously inspected she wasn't about to have another go at him and vacated the bed; unleashing Hermione as he did so, and whirled his back on the latter. "That's still no excuse for taking my wand in the first place." She vocalized insolently; bracing elbows against the velvety mattress as her eyes scorched his back. It wouldn't be wise to let her guard down just yet. Not to mention _he_, on no grounds, could decide the fate of her wand.

"As a matter of fact, it is." He turned about as his ethereal eyes locked with hers again. "I'm not convinced you would have countered differently was I to tell you right then, that we cannot just go to your beloved castle."

That stirred another spasm of turbulent fury within. Who the hell did he think he was? "Well I guess I'll have to be on my own then." Her voice strained with new collectedness and she found herself standing up. Not being nearly enlightened about the war state and he assumes she'd quietly let it go. But that wouldn't come to pass, not so easily. Despite of being doomed to this fate, she wasn't consenting to become his tool.

"But you wouldn't get it, would you?" His eyes gingerly examined hers as she observed a whiff of exasperation trailing behind his mask.

"Not until you'd _explain_. In which, mind you, you haven't pulled off too well."

His face had hardened, though voice still sustaining a calm forbearance she secretly marveled at. "Two words, Ms. Granger. Blood lust." He'd revealed, before he paused for effect. Conceiving her unchanged manner, he persisted, "It lies farther beyond anyone's endurance. And this heavily goes out to the newborns. Such as yourself."

_Oh..._

She perched back with the eerie comprehension. _Of course._ Her only source for survival. Another... _consequence_, of what she'd become. It would be fallacious to recoil from it, for now she knew it would knock her back with a blow. One way or the other.

_I would not see my friends._

Her defiance resolved into a forlorn heart; her destiny utterly condemned upon the hands of just one fact: This was permanent. Vampirism: It once _had_ struck her as an engrossing subject to research and ponder at, but all in all, just that; as mere theory. She never once imagined of getting snagged by the clutches of this fate, which she'd studied about long enough to gather, was cureless.

"Is that the only way I can live?" she questioned miserably after what seemed like a long hour; fastening back her gaze on him. "Killing and drinking human blood?"

"Drinking blood, yes. Killing humans? Not necessary, as long as you're faring well with bunnies and squirrels. Thanks to the lifestyle regime of my moral, benevolent brother." The statement seemingly held a mocking note, though not extinguishing the truth it inferred.

A haze of relief wormed its way back in at the notion of not being obligated to be a killer. That did half the atrociousness of it. Though one thing peculiarly agitated her brain; evoking her to word eventually, "Did you turn me into one of them?"

There was a long pause. "I'll positively make certain that you have all your answers, though right after we're done hunting. Therefore it's imperative that we get to it sooner." The man had retained his dispassionate swagger; eyes smoldering with a solemn intensity that tightened her nerves.

"It's a simple matter of yes or no." She persisted.

He complied with a firm _'no' _as his stoic mien lingered perpetually. Hermione discreetly analyzed him only to be assured he wasn't lying before sighing out, "Fine." A slight rush of gratitude swelled in her for the man who'd resolved to help her, irrespective of the confinements he'd placed her within. Of course, unaware of his true intentions, she wouldn't be as thick as to give in her complete trust. But he sure was a reassurance that she may not be alone after all, in this new life.

* * *

**A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who followed/favorited. I'd however be immensely grateful if you could just spare 10 seconds of your time to tell me what you truly think. Feel something missing? Find any mistakes? Simply want me to continue? It'd be great if you actually let me know! I, at least, can promise that the the third chapter, too, will be up until next week. **


	3. The Hunt

_**"I woke up with my feet nailed down,**_

_**And my head moving the speed of sound.**_

_**Had a dream I was caught in a maze,**_

_**And I couldn't find my way back out."**_

**_-Soundgarden_**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**THE HUNT**

**...**

An incredible smirk of triumph working its way onto his stunning face, the dark haired _homme_ swung his way round the bed and walked to a handsome drawer chest. Smoothly pulling open the leading chamber, he tugged out a silver bracelet emblazoned with a shiny blue colored rock and thrust the drawer shut, approaching with the accessory dangling across his fingers and offered it to her.

"And this is?" she asked.

"Lapis Lazuli," answered Damon, pointing to the blue crystal with his thumb as he handed it over. "Will protect you under the sun."

Narrowing her brows, Hermione examined the silver wristband before putting it on. "What happens when you go out in the sun without it?" she asked with mild interest, turning her adorned wrist about to analyze the effect.

"Burn to ash." He responded feebly as he picked up a bare glass from the bedside table and filled it with blended whiskey; missing the terrified look on her face. Awakening to her silent response, he added frowningly, "You hadn't known?"

"Had a hunch" she muttered distractedly after a minute, her brows furrowing further. Another one of the nefarious circumstances, or perhaps a payoff, for being a vampire. She had, of course, come across plenty theories; this being the most acclaimed of all. Yet she could distinctly feel the thought unpleasantly rousing something inside her…

"I didn't know vampires could have anything other than blood." She said dismally after a moment, eyeing the glass with slight revulsion.

Finishing the contents in a gulp, he responded hurriedly. "You're yet to find out a lot of things, honey. Time to go." He looked at his watch with a somber look which absconded as quickly as he thudded the glass on the round coffee table.

"But why even have it?" she questioned, dismissing the unnecessary need for robes; taking them off and dumping on a nearby leather chair. She was now clad in her precedent war attire, which stirred a great sense of nostalgia within her; though which she quickly dismissed.

"Curbs the cravings. Help yourself whenever you feel like. Can we get going, now." He wasn't waiting for an answer.

"No, thanks." she mumbled grumpily to the previous suggestion and followed him outside the huge oak doors of his manor.

As the girl entered the magnificent grassy field ravished by bright sunrays, her right hand instantly shielded her eyes; a little gasp escaping her mouth. Damon noticed and instantly walked up to her; gently wrapping his fingers around her raised arm, trying to get a peek of the hidden part of her face.

"It hurts a little." Croaked the witch and walked back into the shadow shortly; the pain immediately coming to a halt. "You said it would work." Disappointment poured through her words as she frowned upon the silver bracelet covering her wrist.

Damon pursed his lips. "It's not the bracelet. The pain, it does occur at the start. It would cease as soon as you get some blood into your system." He promised. "So, it's kind of crucial that we hurry up." He added as he observed her hesitating at the door step. There was a worried edge to his voice that Hermione couldn't quite fathom, but silently obeyed nonetheless; stepping out in the light and concealing her face right away.

Catching up with him, she continued to cloak her face from the harsh yellow rays, brows furrowed so deep it almost seemed as if her eyes were closed; her face not once daring to look ahead. Noticing him constantly checking her warily from her peripheral, she fastened her stride and said in a low voice "I just need to get done with this soon."

Just a few seconds had passed before she noticed him falling behind her pace. "You look so frail." Damon marked somberly, bringing her at a screeching halt. He had stopped walking, too. The brunette surveyed him before concluding doubtfully, "I hope it's nothing that can't be fixed by blood?" His sapphire-blue gaze remained steady as she continued to grow anxious. He didn't appear to have heard her. She was at a complete loss for words until Damon directed in his sudden normal voice, "Climb over my back."

"What? No, Mr. Salvatore. I'm fine, reall- aaaaaargh!" she yelped in shock as she was swept off her feet and swung on his back; her feet loosely locking around his navel by the strong set of arms, her hands instantly wrapping around his neck. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" she screamed, outraged, as he started walking again.

"Shhh, shut up. Hold on tight, and don't say a word." He said calmly and added with raised voice "and for Christ's sake, stop beating my head with your little damned fists if you want this to be over with."

"Fine!" she snarled, giving a last painful blow on Damon's head before burying her face in his neck as he transformed the walk into a run.

Were she to be human, she was dead sure she'd have suffered a cardiac arrest; the speed he'd procured was ludicrous, fantastic. It was electric, yet peculiarly appeared average. Though it might be owing to the fact that now she had phenomenal senses. She wondered if she could sprint identically after feeding. Even if she could, the thought was far from raising her spirits. The reality was crashing on her gradually, bitterly; like being dragged through a path of broken glass. She wanted to see her loved ones, save them from harm, but the primary deed to protect them was to stay away from them. The thought in itself tore at her insides as the shreds of glass managed to rip access within her. What was worse, she was stranded from any knowledge about them; if they'd all survived the battle, managed to kill You-Know-Who, captured the death eaters; Or if it all had somehow turned against them…  
The deaths of Fred, Remus and Tonks were oppressive enough to cause a permanent bruise, she didn't reckon she could endure anything beyond that. Yet she hadn't inwardly confronted the worst of it all, her eyes shutting tight at the thought: the truth about her new existence. Something she considered more dreadful than being a Muggleborn and living in a world ruled over by death eaters and prejudiced purebloods. She was now a monster, one that was capable of sucking life out of beings; for one which merely blood could suffice. The terrible pool of dread, anxiety, and dismay experienced with astonishment a fresh inclusion: A lust for revenge. It was beyond unforgivable, dooming her for _life_. She was certain her human form would possibly be shaking by the wrath; the burning anger she'd never imagined she could possess. But irrelevant, it wasn't; it had a purpose.

"Are you alright?" Asked the dark-haired vampire; tilting his neck to look at her. She realized he'd stopped running. Now they stood amongst a clearing surrounded by trees, his angelic face the closest it had been to hers; instantly snapping her to reality.

She mumbled a 'sorry'; unwrapping herself from around his back, and dropped to the ground. Breathing out in apprehension, she paced till she was standing right next to him and asked mildly, "What now?" Her eyes wandered around the forest; taking in every minor detail. The green leaves of the peacefully proportioned summer trees spiraled to the ground, dancing majestically through the air; land seeming damp and trodden beneath their feet. The trees further bustled through the cool gust of wind as the leaves finally came to rest. It was beautiful.

"Mesmerizing, isn't it? _Perfect_ season for hunting. Come on." The humor was far from uplifting her mood as she followed him, walking over the uneven field; the bustling of wind and crunching of leaves beneath their feet being all that could be heard. The walk seemed easier now. The sun was dominantly sheltered by the thick leaves, her eyes, too, getting customized with the sparse heat.

A few moments passed before he arrived at a halt and urged "Do you hear that?" Hermione stopped, too; beams of thrill and anxiety shooting through her veins as she strained her ears for any distant stirring…  
And there it was. She could hear it distinctly; the rustling about within a distance of a few yards, causing her nerves to tremble. Damon looked pointedly at her before declaring "Your first prey."; brandishing his gorgeous smirk. Hermione nodded breathlessly and followed his swift stride. Barely 10 seconds had passed when they spotted a speck of grey not much farther away. Another few steps led to a closer look when she could plainly work out the living image of a wild goat, unessentially fostered to be the victim of her first hunt. The distress tramping inside her deepened more; her breath coming out in short breaths. As she reached closer, the comprehension of the act she was about to commit sunk in further and she realized she didn't even want to do this…

"You've got no other choice." He chimed in unexpectedly, as if he could read her thoughts. She noticed she'd stopped moving, and so had he. Hermione said nothing; merely returning his gaze with her own, which was undeniably troubled. Maintaining his now grave expression, he wrapped his fingers about her bare wrist and gently pulled her after him. She wouldn't have responded without the tug, but so obediently and unwillingly got dragged along the trail; her feet traipsing helplessly until they were refrained from stopping by the same set of hands and she finally looked ahead.  
He trotted up to the animal before it could change its course and attacked: placing both his hands firmly about the goat and lowered to its other side, hiding his face in the process. Something he did caused the animal to writher and scream with pain, a scream that caused shivers to run down her spine, but the vampire's grip didn't falter against its struggle. She watched; simply appalled by the scene but her face remained impassive.

Half a minute had passed when Damon rose back up, panting lightly, his brows furrowed; a bright streak of crimson trailing down from his lower lip to chin. "Come on, now. Try and go ahead." He said softly. Hermione stared vacuously at the dead animal before her feet began moving on their own accord to cover the distance, ending her up beside Damon as she dropped to her knees; looking at the red puncture marks blemishing the furry, delicate skin of the goat. The hot soreness clenching at her throat worsened at the view of blood gushing out, while concurrently her own mind feeling repulsed from the strange arousal, which was getting stronger by every second…

"I can't do this." She sputtered suddenly, slightly backing away from the lifeless body of the goat; her face leaning away as her eyes sealed shut.

"Yes, you can." Said his voice, still soft but firm. She didn't reveal the acknowledgement of his words, brows still furrowed in agony and thirst, eyes closed. The scent of blood was getting to her; overdriving her senses yet the revulsion abstained her from crossing the thin white line distinguishing her from a savage.

A gentle sigh escaped Damon before he claimed calmly, "That's the only way for you to survive." Hermione remained silent. She didn't need to hear this. But he, on strong contrary to what she pleased, went on. "What if I'd left you there, at your school? You would have killed someone. Someone human. Think about how much worse it could have turned out for you." She squeezed her closed eyes even tighter. Didn't he know that was the last thing she wanted to hear right now? "Hermione," The use of her name had her eyes snapped open, but her face remained immobile; staring into empty space. "What about your friends, your family? I know it might be harsh, not being able to see them. But eventually you shall. As soon as you can repress your cravings; your urge to kill. And this is the only way for you to reach to that stage."

And right then Hermione knew he'd speak no more. His task was accomplished, precisely what she'd been striving to avert. She finally turned her face to the front, staring at her condemned fate. If she was to see her friends again; and to seek revenge for what'd happened: her soul might as well be damned. It was better than dying for nothing. And without having another thought, she leaned her head toward the bloody gash. Feeling revolted yet desperate, her tongue delicately wiped off a smear of red, dampening her lips. She inclined back slowly, savoring an obscure flavor and gulped. The moment it went down her throat, Hermione's eyes screwed up and she started gagging and coughing; her brain faintly screaming obscenities at her. It went on for about 5 seconds until everything turned around brashly: her dry-retching immediately ceased and the burning fire clinging to her throat turned atrocious; all thoughts instantaneously consigned to oblivion; her mind now beseeching for more blood as the monster inside her roared to life. Inconspicuously, she pierced her fangs in the soft flesh allowing a fresh stream of blood flooding in her mouth seeming to buy some final peace but more lust as the monster calmed and then ravened for more. She sucked frenziedly, and drained; restrain long forgotten; feeling as if she had been forced to starve for a decade. The weakness and fragility disguising her strength evaporated; her head feeling blissful as more blood flushed down her throat.

The obstructions beginning to occur in the steady flow went unnoticed by her until she sucked a mouthful of air; lastly compelled to break off and she leaned back to perch on the ground, feeling lightheaded. It took her a few moments to realize what the thirst had driven her to; but oddly she wasn't too perturbed. The remorse was still heavy on her bones for what she had done; for what she was to make out of life now; but certain deeds seemed more vital than pondering over herself and how she felt about her soul. Rancorously righting herself with that conviction, she stood up mechanically, her face impassive but her body quiet, until a hand gently held her wrist towing her ahead; her feet following without hesitation. Not discerning where she was being guided, not having the will to care, as her brain slowly swallowed the truth about the renewed purpose which had no room for Hermione Granger; not anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for your kind words: mh21, AriannaM, purple, potterhead997, and other guest reviewers.**

**To answer some of your questions:**  
**^Yes, I have a Vampire Diairies character in store for major appearance in later chapters; none other than our Katherine Pierce, of course. How would I get the spice, after all, that this beautiful show has us accustomed to.**  
**^This whole thing is before the TVD timeline, of course; the year's 1997. Also, this story's post-wizarding war. Although Hermione's yet to learn about whether the war's over or still intact.**  
**As for your other questions, you'll get to know everything else as the story progresses. Stay tuned, people. **


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